The UW-Madison Kegonsa Research Campus solar array, in partnership with Alliant Energy, is a solar plus agricultural research project. Agrivoltaics is a dual-use approach where ground mounted solar photovoltaic panels and agricultural activities are co-located in a landscape. The Kegonsa agrivoltaics field that started producing energy in May, is a living laboratory for students and faculty to study soil, water, plant, and animal interactions between the solar array and the agricultural land.
The 2.25 MW (AC) / 2.87 MW (DC) solar project spans 15-acres and will produce electricity to power 450-500 Wisconsin homes. It features three distinct types of racking and spacing between rows to facilitate research, education, and demonstration.
Kegonsa Solar was nominated as a finalist for the 2025 North American Agrivoltaics Award Dual-Use Plan of the Year. The award recognizes outstanding excellence in innovation, design, performance and/or function of a dual-use (agrivoltaics or ecovoltaics) solar development project. Winners will be announced at the Solar Farm Summit (August 4-7, 2025, in Chicago, IL)